The Assassins
by dancingknight15
Summary: Sasame and Takako have their next mission: to take out Princess Himeno. After completing their usual routine, they leave a trail of tragedy in their wake, one that Hayate the head of the royal guard is determined to overcome...
1. Chapter 1

"That's her," he said, looking over at the window of the castle from his position in a tree, "The princess who's our text target."

"Are you sure?" the female asked him somewhat uneasily, "She looks too gentle to be on our hit list."

"Our job isn't to judge. Just to do. The investigators have probably already done their job. Let's go," he said, extending his hand out to her. His violet eyes sparkled and called out to her. She smiled softly. She wasn't particularly fond of this job, but to be with him was…

They changed from their camouflage gear to their formal wear. They needed to enter the ball without incident, after all. The princess' balls were known for their attention to the old traditions in dance style, attire and modes of chivalry. Luckily, Sasame had been born to a wealthy family and was happy to teach the conduct necessary for Takako to enter into such a ball without making a fool of herself.

Takako changed into a soft, pastel-green dress with billowing sleeves made of silk, puffs for her shoulders, a low-cut v-shaped neckline, with a darker green bow at the bottom of the v. Her dress was cut in a typical hourglass shape—courtesy of the corset and the hoop skirt she was wearing. Her hair was up and molded into artificial curls. Her usual red lipstick was on—her armor and her insignia on her kills.

Her hoop skirt was an invaluable asset. It allowed for a number of weapons to be hidden in plain sight. If anyone wanted to do a check on her, they would need to remove the hoop skirt, which would not only be improper, but inconvenient as well.

Sasame's outfit was a traditional light lavender colored suit with a cloth of darker purple at his neck. His outfit allowed for less concealment, but it would be enough. He was the more experienced of the two, after all.

He took Takako's gloved hand lightly in his own and headed out towards the entrance of the castle. When he reached the security at the front gate—or perhaps he should call them the royal guard—he pulled out the invitation that he had been sent by their employer.

"Very good," the guard said, bowing to them to allow them to enter. Sasame gave a nod in thanks, while Takako remained silent and demure. It was not her place to say anything. She was only Sasame's adornment for now. That would change later, she thought, smiling softly to herself.

When they reached the ballroom, it took all of Takako's self control not to gasp in shock. Such an elaborate room with glass chandeliers and walls decorated with paintings and mirrors—and the people! Takako suddenly felt underdressed and insecure. Feeling her twinge of uncertainty, Sasame squeezed her hand lightly and looked over to her.

"Shall we go, my lady?" he asked. She nodded. Sasame had always been her confidence on every mission they had conducted. He had been her strength from the moment she had met him. And she followed his lead as usual.

He wasted no time. Efficient, calculating, but filled with a gentle spirit was Sasame. The Sasame that Takako had come to love and treasure. He made his way over to the princess and thanked her for the invitation.

"Princess Himeno, my pleasure to finally meet you," he said, his voice dripped with polite sincerity. The princess, who looked younger than Takako, smiled and flushed when Sasame took her hand and placed his lips to it.

Why, she's too young and naïve for her to be worthy target, Takako thought, trying not to let her irritation show. She had wanted a challenge. A task that they might fail. Where she wouldn't leave with a successful kill…

And this girl was the perfect doll! An angel with nothing to condone her. There was nothing that appeared to be malicious about her at all!

"And you are?" the princess asked, directly addressing Takako. Takako was surprised at her lack of propriety. It was against tradition to address the woman directly while she was with her man. Takako was about her open her mouth to answer when Sasame interrupted her, "This is my wife."

Himeno smiled in understanding and bowed and wished them a good time. Takako followed Sasame, somewhat irritated. Why had he not let her speak?

"I don't want anyone to hear your voice tonight. Do I make myself clear?" he said in a gentle voice with a ferocity Takako had not heard before.

She nodded. She had to trust him, for he knew more of the details of tonight's mission than she did. While Sasame poured a drink for her, he leaned in and murmured, "The man in the dark suit and long hair. The one with sharp blue eyes—Hayate. He's the head of the princess' guard. He is your target tonight."

Takako scanned until she saw the man and nodded. Smiling softly, Sasame made his way over to the dance floor, abandoning Takako with her drink. She sighed. Although this was a mission, she had been hoping for a chance to dance with Sasame. To be in his arms, his eyes locked on hers, while they danced without a care…

What foolishness.

She drained the glass, feeling the alcohol hit her system almost immediately. She never liked to be completely there when she was completing her missions.S She preferred them to be fuzzy memories for later, so the bitterness of the deed was softened somewhat.

Well, she thought, my objectives tonight are to not speak and to get closer to the head of the guard. Hayate, was it? What an interesting name…

She glided around the room, avoiding attention. She was not the prettiest creature in the room, and so her task of avoiding asked to dance by other men was successful. She sat down on a chair and glanced now and then to Hayate. He was a beautiful man by her standards. His long hair suited him, adding to his look of complicated severity. A protector of sorts.

Her mind unwittingly wandered. What kind of relationship, if any at all, did the princess and this man have?

"May I have the pleasure of a dance, madam?" a voice called out to her, shocking her back to reality.

She looked up and was pleased to see that it was Hayate. A good host would never let a lady sit for too long without a partner, of course. She nodded, offering her hand into his outstretched one.

She decided to enjoy herself for the moment, twirling away in his arms. Sasame's dance instruction had been quite merciless, such that she could move her legs without much thought—making it appear as if she had done this most of her life.

"Elegant," he complimented. She blushed in reply. What was it about his low voice that was so enticing?

"You are the wife of the Duke of XX, are you not?" he asked. She nodded. She wondered how long she could dance with him without having to speak. She hoped it would be rude to continue being silent in this manner.

"An honorable man. His service to this country is well known, and we appreciate the trouble you both have taken to travel down to here," he remarked.

'Service to this country'? Takako almost laughed at the irony. True, he was doing service of a kind, but it was not one that Hayate would find commendable.

She looked away slightly, as if embarrassed by his praise.

They continued to dance afterward in silence. It turned out that he had not expected her to speak at all. As much as she was enjoying herself, it would be better if she could be free of these ridiculous social constraints from a by-gone era. Social constraints…

And then she understood why she and Sasame had been chosen for this task. The revelation made her glance over to Sasame, and was pleased to find him dancing with the princess. Now was the time. The two couples passed each for a split second. Takako and Sasame made eye contact for a fraction of that second and turned away.

And they both leaned in to kiss their dancing partners. Haayte's reactions were strong. He stiffened, as if unused to a woman's lips. His eyes were wide with shock, which was the entrance Takako needed to slip a dagger into his chest and quickly pull it out. She felt his groan in her mouth, but she did not end the kiss. Her kiss of death.

She saw Sasame out of the corner of her eye mirror her own actions with the princess. Now their escape. They met each other in the middle of the dance floor and pushed Hayate and Himeno into each other, daggers forced into their hands. In the innumerable people who were dancing, it took several moments for them to realize that the princess and her guard were standing in place, not moving.

And by then Takako and Sasame had already left the castle, far from view of any pursuers.

"You did well," Sasame said, his lips on Takako's. Takako wrapped her arms around him, feeling the taste of another woman in his mouth. She continued to kiss him, until the taste had faded. And then she was satisfied. She pulled away and looked at Sasame.

"Is this one the last?" she asked, as she always did. She knew what his response would be. There was always something to do to aid society in this world. There would always be the corrupt that deserved to die. This role that they played could only be done by them—and no one else.

"I hope so," he murmured, bringing her into a soft embrace. She concealed her shock at his response, and the weariness they contained. Until now, she had believed that she was the only one suffering each time their mission had been successful. But now, she heard his pain and his guilt.

"Then let's make it so," she murmured, running her hands through his hair in an effort to soothe him.


	2. Chapter 2

The medics were hurrying in shock. The blood loss had been too great, and they needed blood donations immediately. Hayate had initially refused care, since he believed it was his own carelessness that had left the princess in such a state, but his wishes were refused when the princess cried out for Hayate before she passed out. Past his better judgment, he asked for the messengers to ride out to request for the physicians from the neighboring regions. Their technology was more advanced. There was the chance they had something that could save the princess.

His wound was treated quickly, the bleeding slowed. But the princess suffered from chills and tremors, and it was found that the blade that she had been stabbed with was poisoned. Hayate was furious and guilty at the same time. Why had that dagger not been used upon him? He was dispensable, but the princess was not—had never been. Not for the kingdom and not for himself…

He shook his head to remove the selfish thoughts running through them again. He needed to find out the anecdote for the poison, and he had a hunch he knew how to find out. He needed to track down the very assassins who tried to kill her.

With this goal in mind, he leapt onto a horse, ready to leave, when his path was blocked by one of his guard.

"You're not thinkin' of goin' on your own, are ya?" he drawled in an angry voice, "Ya want revenge, right?"

"This isn't about revenge, Go. This is about duty," Hayate answered stiffly.

"Ya look pretty angry to me," he replied, not moving.

"The princess was poisoned. I'm going to find the anecdote. Now step aside," he commanded.

Hayate always felt irritation when it came to Go. He and Go had been taken into the castle when they were young, and had grown up together. They had known the princess since she was a baby, and each other since their childhood. Go was the only one who would never take Hayate's position seriously, because in his mind, Hayate was still only his friend, and not a commander.

And this both irritated and encouraged Hayate.

"Well, I'm comin' with ya," Go said finally, getting onto his horse. Hayate raised an eyebrow.

"I don't need your help," he said surly.

"Yeah, yeah, sure," Go said, waving his comment off, "Everyone needs someone to watch ther' back"

Relenting, Hayate rode out into the forest, using small clues from the forest to track the assassins.

"How are you goin' to find 'em?" Go asked, watching Hayate carefully as he examined the ground and suddenly sniffed at a leaf.

"They passed through here on foot originally, and then switched to horse back," Hayate announced, "You can see the footprints here, and the shift in the damage to the underbrush here."

"Huh? Impressive. But what if they're tryin' to set us up?" Go asked. Hayate almost smiled at his perception. Despite his moments of stupidity, there were times when he did think properly.

"That's why you're going to follow that path and I'm going to follow this one," Hayate indicated. Go looked at him quizzically.

"But there's no trail that way," he said.

"That's why I'm going that way," Hayate declared, "These assassins were trained professionals. And they did their background research well to impersonate the Duke of XX and his wife. There is a chance that the trail that looks real is a decoy. But it could actually be real," Hayate explained, thinking of the time he could now save with Go tracking one trail instead of him having to double back and potentially losing them.

"So, good thin' I'm here, huh?" Go asked.

"Yes," Hayate answered seriously.

"The princess means that much to ya?" Go half-asked, half-commented. Hayate didn't answer and turned away into the forest on the untracked path.

After following the path with clear indications of disruption for what seemed like hours, Go came to the edge of a riverbank. He scratched his head in irritation.

"Now what do I do?" he asked out loud. Even if this was the correct trail, the trace of the trail was now lost if they had crossed over the river.

"You stay quiet," a voice hissed. Go spun into action as he felt a blade on his throat. In a deft spin, he knocked the dagger out of his attacker's hand and drew his sword. He slashed forward, cutting the mask on the attacker's face in half—and was surprised to see a woman's face.

"What the…" Go paused in shock—which gave her the advantage in the fight. She raced forward and knocked the sword out of his hands with her bare fists, and swung her leg around for a final kick. Go recovered from his momentary shock and blocked her kick with his arm. He grinned. Whoever this woman was, she was fun to fight.

She pulled and watched him warily from the distance.

"You're part of the royal guard?" she finally asked, after seeing the emblem on the hilt of his sword, which he had just obtained once more.

"That would be correct. Who would ya be, miss?" Go asked.

"My name is of no importance to you. How foolish are you to come into this part of the woods at this time?" she demanded, keeping her voice low.

"Pretty foolish," he answered immediately, a slight grin on his face.

"I see. Then you deserve this," she replied, shooting him with an arrow in his leg. He instantly felt a numbness creep up and found that he could not move his leg.

"Damn. This is inconvenient," Go muttered.

And she came forward and knocked him out.

...

Hayate, meanwhile, was getting frustrated. He wanted to follow the marked trail as well—even if it was a dead end. Or worse, it could be a trap. His combined worry for Go and his anxiety that he was wandering aimlessly while the princess was dying served to only cloud his judgment. He needed to stop and think. He got off of his horse and leaned against a tree in mental exhaustion.

"Princess…" he breathed, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to relieve his worry. His worry quickly turned to anger when he thought of the silver-haired violet-eyed man who had not only stabbed her, but also poisoned the tip of her blade.

He wanted to make sure that the job was done, Hayate thought wryly. Such efficiently would have been commended in his guard. If only such a man had been in his guard. If only he had been that kind of man…

It was no good for him to regret now, Hayate knew. He needed to get answers. He pulled out the dagger that had been in the princess's hand. It was still coated with her blood, which had crusted over by now. Underneath was the layer of poison whose identity even the castle medics did not know.

A healer or an apothecary could help me discover the identity of the poison at the very least, Hayate reasoned, and possibly even the anecdote. But where was he to find a healer?

He frowned. He knew of one healer that lived in the area who did not work directly for the castle or the royal family in any way. But whether she was still alive was another question. He got back onto his horse and headed out, on route to meet with her once again…

…

Go awoke and looked around in a half-stupor. Where was he? It was dark, so he assumed it was underground. He rubbed the back of his neck, which was sore for some unknown reason. As he gained consciousness, he instinctively reached for his sword at his belt, but it was gone—as were the rest of his clothes. Feeling his face heat up in embarrassment, he looked around to see if anyone else was around. Confident that no one was, he stood up to look for at least something to cover his body.

"You're awake," the female voice from earlier said. He spun around—and saw the woman with short, vivid green hair and bright turquoise eyes examining him unabashedly.

Seconds later, Go realized he was stark naked and turned around.

"Ya don't happen to know where my clothes are, do ya?" he asked, his ears the same red as the flame-red half of his hair.

"I do. I happened to relieve you of them, in case you were hiding any weapons," she explained calmly.

She turned back to the stove, where something delicious was simmering. Go felt his stomach grumble. Sighing, he sat down, trying to let go of his shame.

"The soup will be done in a moment. I took the liberty of washing your clothes. They are drying at the moment and will be at your disposal in minutes time," she said.

"I see," answered Go dryly, "And can ya finally tell me who ya are and why I'm 'ere?"

"You should be more grateful to your rescuer," the woman replied, and took a seat beside him.

"The name I go by is Mawata. I am what you call a neutral bystander," she said.

"Neutal?" Go asked.

"Yes. I swear no allegiance to the royal family nor those in the rebellion," she answered smoothly.

"The rebellion…" Go repeated.

She seemed to lose patience at his ignorance.

"Tell me you know of the rebellion at least," she snapped.

"To my knowledge, there ain't anything like a rebellion," he countered. She sighed.

"Then they have been successful so far. The princess is dying now, isn't she?" Mawata asked.

"How do ya know that?" Go shot back, his eyes sharp and serious.

"I am an information collector by trade," she said, stirring the soup. She took a sip from the spoon, wrinkled her nose and went searching in her cupboards for seasoning.

"A spy," Go said, his voice suddenly deathly quiet.

"Yes," she said, dodging his attempt to confine her in a death grip. He retaliated by pinning her to the wall. She turned to face him, unphased.

Cocky bitch, Go thought.

"So, ya said 'neutral' right? Then that means ya'd give me info, too," Go said.

"It doesn't come for free," she said.

"Name your price," he stated, while keeping her pinned to the wall.

"You don't do this often, do you? You understand the position you're in, don't you? You could threaten me and try and get the information by force for free," she remarked.

"Not my style," he shot back, releasing her. She looked at him in amazement.

"Not 'cause you're a woman or anythin'. Just 'cause I owe ya," he said.

Mawata almost smiled.

"You're a strange one," she remarked, "Well, tell me what you want to know, and I'll tell you my price."

"I'm lookin' for a pair of assassins. One male, one female. White-haired guy with demon eyes and a woman with black hair and green eyes," Go described.

"That's all?" Mawata asked.

"Yeah," Go replied.

"You have the chance to ask me anything about the rebellion, you know," she remarked.

"I just need to know about them. Besides, if I ask ya too much, it'll cost too much, no?" he reasoned.

"Fair enough. My price for the information is this: the necklace around your neck," Mawata said.

"What!" Go shot up, his face flaming red with anger, "Ya want the sign of my loyalty to the princess?"

She did not answer.

"Thanks, but no thanks," he snapped, "Now where's my clothes? I'm leaving."

Such loyalty to the princess. I don't understand it at all, Mawata thought. And without further thought, Mawata picked up his sword instead.

"Then your sword instead. And in exchange, I will provide you the means to track them until you find them," she said. Go turned around.

"Done. So, what are ya gonna give me to find them?" Go asked, extending out his hand. She chuckled softly at his simple nature.

"I'm coming with you."


	3. Chapter 3

Hayate rode out as if he were being pursued. In a sense, he was being pursued by the feeling of his own guilt. Guilt at the princess' current fate, at his own inadequacy. But also guilt at visiting the one whom he had abandoned so many years ago. Had it been ten years now, Hayate wondered, as the wind whipped past his face. His memories of his childhood with her were nothing but blurred, hazy images. His lucid memories were all of his times with the princess…

Unbidden a smile came to his face when he thought of the time he had first met the princess. He had run away from his home with her, and was covered in tear streaked and mud and leaves. His ragged clothing was torn and soiled. And his short, navy blue hair looked black with dirt. The royal guard at the time had found him; he was half-starved and scared. He didn't want to go back home, but he had nowhere else to go to.

In a strange gesture of kindness, the guard had brought him back and placed him in the main hall to present him to the king. He could remember distinctly thinking that it would be rude for him to be so dirty in front of the king, and began wandering the halls to find a place to bathe. A river would have done fine, actually, but he couldn't find his way outside the confines of the castle. In his panicked wanderings, he bumped into a woman with a baby in her arms.

"Oh my! What a mess you are!" the woman exclaimed. Hayate cringed, expecting either a blow or a tirade at his filthiness, but instead was surprised to find that she was caressing his hair, loosening up the dirt from its roots with her free hand.

"I suppose nothing but a bath would get rid of this," she said, and took his hand. As he was being dragged down the hallway with this beautiful and kind woman, the baby in her arms opened her eyes. He was surprised to find that she was adorable. He had always heard from her that babies were annoying little creatures that looked like wrinkled peas with arms and legs. But this baby was different from what he had heard.

She had a ring of curly pink hair that matched the pink hue of her irises, and her mouth was small and soft. He had an urge to touch the soft cheeks of the baby, but stopped halfway when he realized once again how dirty he was. The woman noticed his actions and smiled.

"Once we get you cleaned up, you can touch her," she promised. Hayate nodded, a wave of relief washing over him at the sight of the baby and the woman's kindness. He sunk to the floor, exhaustion hitting him. And the baby had giggled at his sudden movement, causing his lips to stretch in a strange sensation that they had never done before…

He was here. The tiny hut that had been his residence during his early years. Hayate was surprised that it was still standing there, a testament to the old woman's stubbornness, he supposed. He knocked on the round door once and waited, his heart hammering in nervousness.

"Ah, who the blazes is out there!" an old woman's voice shrieked. He flinched at the tone, but reminded himself to be calm.

The door opened to reveal a shriveled old woman whose eyes betrayed her true fierceness. Hayate learned later that she was not only a healer, but a witch as well. He could remember the days when he watched her experiment with spell after spell, most of them innocuous at best.

"And who are ye?" she asked, looking up at him. Hayate was surprised to find how small she truly was compared to him. She barely came to his chest. As a child she had seemed larger than life; she was a force he could not overcome, only one that he could run away from…

When he did not answer her question, she peered at him carefully. She was half-blind, Hayate remembered. How was she still living here on her own?

"No…by the devil's child, it's Hayate!" she exclaimed, and to Hayate's surprise, she wrapped her frail limbs around him. Had she always been so affectionate to him?

"Well, come on in. If it hasn't been ten 'ears already, boy," she said. He followed her silently, unable to speak as he took in his surroundings. Why did everything seem so unfamiliar? he wondered, frowning.

"So tell me, what brings ye back?" she said, her face becoming stern. Now that was the woman he had remembered. Businesslike, efficient, and sometimes cruel to achieve what she wanted.

"I need an anecdote to a poison," Hayate said. Her eyes widened slightly at the sound of his voice. The voice of a man. Perhaps part of her had hoped time had not changed him, and that the child she had known was still inside of him somewhere.

"And the poison is?" she asked. Hayate pulled out the dagger and handed it over to her. Her eyes gazed at the markings on the hilt in curiosity before gazing at the hardened blood and poison on the blade.

She took a blade of her own and chipped a piece of the poison into a glass container and sniffed it.

"Be prepared to stay 'ere the night, boy. I need to make sure of what this is. Won't be easy. It looks like a combination to me. What are ye paying me for me troubles, hm?" she said, looking back at him from the bowl.

"Whatever you want," he replied before thinking. She burst out laughing.

"What, your woman the one who's poisoned?" she teased. Without a single change in expression, Hayate muttered, "Something like that."

"My, my, but you have grown up. Well, I'll take a look at this and determine the price after I know how much work went in. Especially if you will pay anything," she cackled.

Hayate remained silent and hoped that her work would be done sooner rather than later, and that the price would be something he could afford…

…

How had he picked up such a nuisance? The woman was insistent on coming with him, and she had taken charge the minute they had left her home. She was tracking using the same method Hayate had. Go began to regret bringing her along. She was bound to get stuck just the way he had, after all.

"It appears that they crossed the river," she remarked. Go felt like hitting her in frustration, but held himself in check.

"I suppose it does, doesn't it," he muttered. He turned to him and laughed.

"So this is why you were standing around here like an idiot," she stated. Go huffed and watched as she stepping into the river.

"What are ya doing?" he asked her.

"Quiet," she snapped, and closed her eyes. She placed her hands lightly onto the water and focused. Go watched in amazement as the water around her began to glow a florescent green.

"What the…" he began, but was stopped midsentence when she removed her hands and turned around and glared at him.

"I believe I asked for your silence," she said sharply. Go gulped and watched as she returned to—well, whatever it was that she was doing.

"They traveled south, down the river. My hunch of where they've gone seems to be correct," she mused. She returned to the shoreline and began removing her clothing with no sense of shame. Go turned around hastily, despite a growing desire to turn around and gaze at her.

"So, we gonna get a boat or somethin'?" he asked her, half-turning around. She pulled on a new dry outfit, irritation filling her face that he dared to gaze at her. It was only fair, he thought, after all, she's seen me completely naked. Not that she was affected by it at all. Which irked him slightly.

"If you have a boat at your disposal, yes," she replied.

"I'd have to borrow one of the royal guard commissioned boats…" he mused aloud.

"Or we can take that one," Mawata said, pointing to a small boat on the riverbank several meters away from where they stood.

"Works for me," Go said. Mawata watched him curiously.

"You are not that much different from those of the rebellion when it comes to your methodologies," she remarked.

"I'm already in a bad mood. Don't give me a reason to hit ya," he spat, his brown eyes becoming sharp as glass.

"Full of pride," she murmured, sitting in the boat. He pushed it off the riverbank and then hopped onto it as it began to drift into the water. Using the oar beside it, he began steering it so that it would head south with the current.

Mawata closed her eyes and placed her hand on the water once more. Go knew now not to disturb her, and watched her in silence.

"They traveled a good three days worth downstream," she said, "So we can continue in this fashion for that time."

"How do ya do that?" Go asked.

"The water speaks to me," she answered, as if it was an ordinary occurrence.

"The water speaks to ya," he repeated dumbly.

"It is an ability I have had for as long as I can remember. I cannot explain to you how it works, since it is as natural to me as breathing," she explained.

"Well, it's useful at least. Where do ya think we're goin'?" he asked. As much as he disliked leaving things in her hands—especially since he had yet to have evidence that he could trust her—she was clearly more experienced in her knowledge of this area and the rebellion.

"The headquarters of the rebellion," she answered.

"What!" he leapt up in shock, almost capsizing the boat.

"My promise to you was to lead you to where the assassins were, correct? Their trajectory leads me to that direction. What you do after that is up to you," she said.

"Damn," was all Go had to say, sitting down after making sure the boat had regained its balance.

…

"Welcome back, Sasame and Takako," a voice greeted them as they stepped into the entrance of the cavern, "We have been expecting you."

They were surrounded by familiar faces, congratulating them on their recent success. As if they returned when the result was any different. Sasame could remember the time when he had worked alone and had failed. He had been too scared to return back to headquarters. It was then he had met Takako—a prostitute who had run away from her brothel.

He had been struck by her beauty, even as she had been covered in mud and filth from wandering in the forest. Her eyes were wide with fright at the sight of him; understandably so, since he was covered in blood, some of which was his and some of which was not. His eyes must have looked deadly then.

"Please, spare me," she had breathed, sinking to her knees. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She initially flinched, but then relaxed as he spoke.

"I will not harm you, my lady," he said, using the polite speech he had been taught to use as a child. She looked up at him, her cheeks flushed from being addressed in such a polite manner.

She's probably never received such treatment from a man before, Sasame mused, extended his hand out to her. She hesitated, and then took his hand. And in each other's embraces, they found warmth and comfort that night.

The following morning, Sasame had resolved to take responsibility for his failure. And on the spur of the moment, asked her to join him. She agreed, having no place to go back to. She assumed anywhere would be better than the brothel, which she had just left.

And to this day, Sasame regretted bringing her along with him—to share in the burden and sin that should have been his alone…


	4. Chapter 4

This was infuriating. The old woman was definitely taking her own time to analyze the potion. This was the underhanded deviousness about her that Hayate had sensed even as a child. It had frustrated him then, and it frustrated him now. He wanted to knock her senseless; didn't she understand that Himeno was dying and that every moment was precious?

"You seem impatient," she cackled. Hayate turned away from her obvious glee in disgust.

"Only someone like you would be glad at a time like this," Hayate finally said. She looked up from her foul smelling concoction.

"Whoever is poisoned is of no concern to me. I am merely amused that you managed to find your way back here after all these years," she commented.

Hayate narrowed his eyes. He remembered her crying out to him as he ran away that he would eventually be drawn back to this place…

Was Himeno's fate the fault of this witch, after all? Hayate leapt to his feet, but his sudden movement did nothing to deter the old woman from continuing her investigation.

"I had nothing to do with this, if that's what's running through yer mind, boy," the old woman said after a moment's pause. And she truly looked defeated, defeated by the fact that the boy she had raised from a baby doubted her.

Hayate sat back down and finally asked the question that had been plaguing him his entire life.

"Why did you take me in?" he asked. The old woman did stop her stirring then and looked at him with a look in her eyes that Hayate did not understand.

"How old do you think I am, boy?" she asked him. Hayate shrugged.

"Pushing on a century, I would say," he remarked. She laughed.

"What if I told you I was no more than forty?" she asked him.

"I wouldn't believe you," he stated flatly.

"Well, I am. A jaded forty-year-old, but one nonetheless," she said.

"I've never seen you look younger than you appear now," Hayate said, glaring at her to force her to resume her work despite his inquiries.

"One of my spells backfired, and I became the way I am now—before I took you in," she said, "And one of my foolish dreams was to become a mother, back when I was young enough to bear children mind ye."

"Then why did you hate me so?" Hayate finally asked.

"Because you were the son of the man who rejected me after what I had become," she said bitterly, "But in exchange for a favor I did him, he gave you to me."

"You knew my father?" Hayate asked, surprise filling his system.

"I loved him," the old woman confessed, making sure to look anywhere except at Hayate.

"Is he alive now?" Hayate probed.

"Don't know. I'm sure he's still out there, determined to conquer the world like the child that he is," she said, a tone of fondness coming into her voice.

"Conquer the world?" Hayate asked quizzically.

"It was his constant joke—that he would conquer the world. But underneath his joking, he was serious as well. That I never missed in his comments," she remarked.

"Then, is he part of the royal family?" Hayate asked, fearing the worst.

"By the heaven's boy, are you hoping yer an heir? No, no, he was an average peasant just like me. But he was filled with a sense of justice…" she trailed off as one of her concoctions began to overflow.

"The anecdote," she said suddenly. Hayate snapped out of his thoughts about the father he never knew and waited on edge for her next statement.

"You need to make it yourself. I don't have most of the ingredients for it, and it's a complicated mix at best," she said, and hastily scribbled away at a piece of paper. After a few moments of writing, she handed the parchment to Hayate.

As he took a look at the ingredients, he blanched.

"Are you playing with me?" he demanded, slamming the parchment on the table.

"This is why I said you needed to do it yourself," the woman countered, "The poison was made through similar means as well, which explains why it was so effective on your innocent princess."

Hayate froze. He had not remembered saying that it was the princess who had gotten poisoned in any part of their discussions. This witch…

He grabbed her by the front of her dress and slammed her against the wall.

"Why the hell do you know it's the princess?" he thundered, his eyes hard as ice.

"Because I had a request to aid in creating the poison by another customer," she stated simply, unafraid despite of Hayate's ferocity.

Hayate released her, and turned away.

"So the assassins visited you," he said softly.

"I do not have any allegiances; if they can pay the price, then I provide my services," she stated, smoothing off her dress.

"She's in so much pain now…because of you…" Hayate said through gritted teeth. He clenched his fists and seconds later, slammed one of his fists against the wall. Several mice erupted from the holes in the wall and scattered in fear and annoyance at the disruption. The old woman watched her pseudo-son and sighed. And in a strange gesture of kindness, the old woman handed Hayate a ruby-red stone.

"Give this to her for the time being," she said, "It will stall the spread of the poison and give her relief from the pain."

"Your price," Hayate demanded immediately, knowing nothing was free from this witch.

"Only your word that you will return it back to me," she said, her features softening. Hayate felt a lump form in his throat in gratitude, but he was not about to display its extent to her. But he did not need to, for the old woman knew.

She had not raised him for seven years for nothing, after all.

"Your price for the poison evaluation," Hayate managed to croak out after an unusually long pause of silence.

"That you bury me in the clover field after I die," she said softly. Hayate turned to her, his eyes widening in shock at her—price? Request?

"Very well," he promised, and taking the parchment, the dagger and the ruby stone, mounted onto his horse and took off back to the castle without another look behind him.

…

Mawata had fallen asleep, leaving Go in charge of keeping watch during the night. He was grateful for her kidnapping of him earlier now. He could sense many in the forests beyond the riverbank in this area. Had he not been on the river, he would have been ambushed for sure. Not that he doubted his own abilities, of course, but still.

She was a beautiful woman that was for sure. Pale, pearl-like skin ringed with curls of turquoise-green hair and a small frame that was delicate and feminine, yet strong and tough. Having been in training most of his life, Go had very few prolonged encounters with women. Recently, it had been visits to the brothels—a one-night encounter—and then departure. Other than the princess, whom he now spoke with rarely since they were both no longer children, Go had spent very little time actually conversing with a woman.

And she was irritating him to say the least. She rarely explained things in their entirety, and seemed to enjoy his frustration. Added to that was the fact that she seemed to not notice that he was male at all…

He knelt down towards her, and placed his thumb on her lips. She looks so defenseless, Go thought, almost the way the princess had seemed as a baby. He pulled his finger away and focused on the action occurring on the riverbanks. Why had they not shot arrows at him yet?

Well, he decided, they were in the thick of their territory—whoever 'they' were—and there was no escaping that. Coming up with strategies was not his strong point; he acted before he thought and dealt with things as they came. But he wasn't alone this time, and this stupid woman thought she could just drop him off and walk off?

But maybe she could, another voice whispered in Go's ear, maybe she could afford to do that because she's neutral. Or maybe she's playing you right into their hands…

He decided he would deal with that later, and shut his eyes for some rest under the light of the moon.

…

"You seem down, Sasame," he commented over dinner. Takako had been given the honor of joining the women for a feast, while he was given his usual honor of meeting with the leader. An honor that he preferred to do without. He had respected this man long ago—and still believed in his vision for the future. But the man himself had decayed. His weakness was apparent especially to Sasame who had known him the longest in the group. And Sasame wanted to destroy him using that very weakness. If only he could find its source…

"It is nothing," Sasame replied in his usual monotone voice around the leader. He tried to betray no emotion. After his first failure, he knew the leader's cruelty. He had looked up to this man as a father after he had abandoned his own family, but it was a lie that he now only maintained on the surface.

"How is Takako treating you?" he probed despite Sasame's blank look. Perhaps part of him still wanted to treat Sasame like a son, even if in the end he was only treating him as a weapon.

"She is a worthy partner, and has not let me down," Sasame replied immediately. I will not let you have her, Sasame thought fiercely.

"Indeed. You have not failed a mission since she joined with you. I am thinking of testing her abilities alone—to give you a rest of sorts," he continued. Sasame started. Send Takako on a mission on her own? Was the leader trying to pull away Takako from him?

"We have worked very well as a team. I believe that is our strength," Sasame said quickly, trying to keep the anxiety out of his voice. It was almost as if the leader could sense what was passing through his mind.

"I believe you protect her too much. It stifles her true ability. I am determined to see her true power, Sasame. She may be just what we have been waiting for," the leader concluded, rising from the table. Once the leader decided something, he did not let go of the thought easily, Sasame knew.

As he left, Sasame clenched his fists, allowing the fury that was bubbling inside of him to show plainly on his face.


	5. Chapter 5

Hayate rode as fast as he could. He needed to bring the ruby red stone to the Princess to at least stall the spread of the poison. The though of her in so much pain caused him to sear with guilt and anger. Anger at the assassins, anger at the witch, and anger at himself.

He thought back to the days when the princess was carefree…a child with no worries of her own. It was true, she was busy with her studies, but she had always made time to meet with him and the others in the royal guard. It was her smile that had brightened his day, and helped him eventually overcome his past memories…

His mind wandered to his first days in the castle. It was as if he had left one meat grinder and only entered another one. The head of the guard was relentless in his training, especially towards one with no lineage like him. And he was weak.

"Hayate!" he heard her singsong voice in his head, "Got beaten up again?"

"No," he protested, despite evidence stating the contrary. His body was covered with bruises and without the wall behind him providing support he would have fallen over. But he was a stubborn eleven year old, something the princess knew all too well.

"He got beat up bad, ya know," Go said, sneering.

"Shut up," Hayate replied, crossing his arms defensively. The princess laughed at Hayate's response, and the sound of it alone seemed to make his aching body feel better. Hiding his smile by turning around, Hayate only muttered, "I'll get better…and I'll be the head of your guard. Just you see."

The princess—no more than six at the time—giggled and wrapped her arms around Hayate. He stiffened. He had still not equated physical contact as a positive yet. It still meant pain. But with the princess…

"Then you'll be my first knight," Himeno said innocently. Hayate didn't answer. He only shrugged her off. Year after year—until he was able to become the head of the guard. Was it too late to respond now?

The princess' smile was in danger of disappearing—the innocence that he had wanted to respond to all these years but was not strong enough for—due to his own weakness. As he rode back to the castle, Hayate frowned. Was he trying to save the princess because of his duty, for her own sake—or for his own selfishness?

Fearing the answer to that question, he continued onwards, even as the rain pelted onto his skin, soaking through his clothes. Mixing in with his unbidden tears…

…

Go awoke to the sound of arrows firing. He sprung into action—only to find that he was not needed. Mawata was firing rapidly at every arrow that came her way, effectively maintaining a shield around him.

"Thought ya were neutral," Go cried out, taking a bow into his hands to aid her. She narrowed her eyes.

"As long as you are with me, my neutrality is compromised. I believed that much was obvious," she replied evenly, not losing her aim or her speed of firing her arrows.

"Then allow me to help ya," he shot back. She scoffed.

"I have never needed help from you," she replied. Go clenched his teeth and continued his own volley of arrows; glad to see them make their mark. His target was always the same: the center of the chest, through the heart.

"Disgusting," Mawata muttered as she saw the trajectory of his arrow, "You fire to kill."

"Ain't that the point? No good if they keep comin' at ya," Go remarked.

"Such a narrow viewpoint. I suppose I cannot expect much more from you," she said. She stopped her volley of arrows and placed her palm to the river. Within minutes the river had ceased its flow.

"What?" Go asked uncertainly. Mawata continued her conversation with the river until the water had reversed its flow.

"Why are ya…" Go began to ask, when the reverse current took him rapidly backwards.

"Jump," Mawata breathed into his ear.

"Ya crazy?" Go protested. With a brief look of annoyance, she pulled him into the current with him. As soon as they had made it past the surface current, the water was still.

"Follow me," she said, speaking clearly although she was under water.

With no choice but to follow her, Go swam after her. He decided any questions would be best left unasked until he could breathe again.

…

Sasame's anger was unparalleled. That much the leader knew. For the cool assassin he had raised, Sasame had turned out to be far more emotional than he would have preferred. Especially when it came to that woman. Contrary to what he had said earlier to Sasame, he wanted to send the woman on her own to get rid of her. She was holding Sasame back from his true potential—from becoming the weapon he wanted him to become.

And his word here was law. He smirked, thinking of the days gone past where he had joked that he would become the controller of all. Here, in his own kingdom, he was the sovereign ruler—as he soon would become for the rest of civilization. But to become the ruler, one needed to destroy that which already was in place. But he would not blindly destroy. He was far too intelligent for that.

He would seek to destroy that which would threaten him or weaken his empire. But it was its own form of justice—clearing the world of the useless and weak to make way for the strong. For progress and freedom of expression and will. Something that had been lacking in his home for centuries. Something he would revive for the people…

"You called for me?" Takako asked, bowing in his presence. He contained his smile as he felt her fear. Sasame taught her well in that respect at least, he mused, placing his hand on her head. He could feel every muscle tense as he touched her.

"I have a job for you, my dear," he said in a soft voice. He felt a tremor run through her body. But moments later, she looked up at him, her eyes defying him total pleasure in conquering her will. Sasame had chosen well, after all.

"The princess still lives. I want you to finish the job, once and for all," the leader said.

"The princess will be dead soon enough. There is no one who would dare make the anecdote," Takako countered.

"My, my, you have gotten bold," he hissed, pulling her by her hair. She bit her lip from crying out as she was thrown across the room. She was determined to be strong without Sasame's help. To no longer be a burden for him. To help him escape from this life.

The leader towered over her. She smiled softly. She hadn't been a prostitute all these years without learning how to handle violent men. With a quick, deft action, she injected poison directly into his blood.

"You whelp!" he cried out, but he could already feel the poison affecting his senses, "What have you done to me?"

"Do not worry. It will not kill you. But you will remain in enough pain as a constant reminder of what _I _will do to you if you ever come near Sasame again," Takako declared, her eyes blazing. She began to walk away, her frame full of pride.

"For the hospitality you have shown me, I will grant your final wish. The princess' death," Takako announced, leaving the leader writhing on the ground.

…

"Where the blazes are we?" Go spluttered, the instant he was out of the water. His question was followed by a coughing fit as he struggled to take in the air his lungs were craving. He felt her hand on his back, rubbing gently. Seconds later, he felt his airways clear and gratefully took in gulps of air.

"What did ya…" Go began, but paused as he took in his surroundings. It was an underground cavern of sorts, with millions of crystals emitting a soft green glow. When he turned to face Mawata, he was shocked to find her glistening in the green light—like an angel.

"Beautiful," he breathed before he could stop himself. She turned sharply at his voice.

"The crystals are known for their luminescent properties, making it a perfect underground entrance for the resistance," she explained, completely misunderstanding him.

"So we made it, huh? Thanks," Go said, tossing her the sword that had ended up beside him.

"You are a strange one. I did not say my services ended here," she said, amused.

"Ya said ya'd get me 'ere. Ya did, so that's all there is to it," Go got to his feet, "Anymore, and I'd owe ya too much."

"Then from here on I come here for my own curiosity," she replied.

"Curiosity about what?" Go probed.

"About you," she responded in a matter-of-fact voice. Go felt his face flush.

"Are ya telling me…" he began his cheeks and ears the same shade as his red hair.

"I wondered how an idiot like you could become such an important member of the royal guard. I suppose I am curious to see how you will survive," she remarked. Go's flush of embarrassment turned into anger.

"Ah, I see," he replied curtly. What was he hoping for, anyway?

"Shall we go?" she said. Stifling his grumbling, Go followed her. He had no idea where he was going, after all.

…

"You can't go," Sasame breathed, holding Takako close to him.

"This one mission. If I succeed, we will be free," she replied, trying to soothe him. She had never seen him like this—so scared. What was he afraid of?

"Takako, I'm not letting you go on a mission alone," Sasame argued, his eyes glinting. Despite his calm demeanor, he was blazing. Not soon after the leader had spoken to him, he had gone to see Takako, but luckily, she had paralyzed him for the moment. But she knew how relentless he could be.

She needed to prove her strength to the leader—for both her own sake and Sasame's. Sasame knew this, but was reluctant to let her go. He knew that they might have needed to go again—hence his precaution that no one now her voice. With some alterations, she could enter the castle as a new person—infiltrating, making it easier for him to work from the shadows.

Why wouldn't she let him come along at least?

"I need you to stay here to make sure the leader is immobilized," she stated.

"I'd kill him in a heartbeat," Sasame answered, his eyes sharp and serious.

"Please, Sasame, don't talk of patricide so lightly," she murmured, leaning her head onto his chest. In truth, she was scared. Terrified. She still had not calmed her nerves from her encounter with the leader. Knowing that he was Sasame's father had stopped her from killing him. Asking Sasame to do what she could not would be torture—something Sasame's gentle soul would agonize over for years to come.

"I love you," Sasame said after a moment's pause. Takako's eyes shot open and she looked up at him in surprise. To hear the words so plainly felt as if…

"It's not a goodbye," he murmured, leaning in to kiss her. And the fear that she would never feel his lips upon hers filled her chest, constricting her throat, clouding her thoughts.

Sasame…


	6. Chapter 6

Hayate rode back as sheets of rain pelted onto his frame. The stone was clenched in his hand. A stop gap measure at least. But it would not last long, and he could not risk hesitating from creating the anecdote. But the price was too high to pay. The price to make the poison itself—just thinking about it filled him with disgust—was too high. There was only one way to make the anecdote—and for the princess' sake, he would make it, no matter the cost.

He passed the guards at the gate with no more than a glance and was met with no resistance. Even without his uniform, his looks were distinctive and his aura of pride was strong enough that even the lowliest of guards recognized him. And he had made an effort to get to know most of the guard he was in charge of—to develop trust primarily. Not that it prevented an attack on the princess…

He headed up the stairs towards the room where the princess was being treated and was pleased to see the presence of multiple healers and physicians from the surrounding regions—the regions not confined by time and whose technology was advanced beyond this kingdom's scientific advancements.

He paused before walking down the hallway towards her room. He did not deserve to see her yet…but more than that, he was afraid. Afraid of seeing with his own eyes the pain she was suffering from. Swallowing his fear, he continued down the hallway. As expected after the attack, the hallway was lined with guards. He nodded personally to each one, confirming they were indeed part of his guard. No imposters, good. As he reached the door, he placed his hand on the old metal handle and paused once more.

There was something not right about the situation, something he could not place. But he knew from experience not to ignore his gut reactions, and placed his hand on his sword hilt, ready to draw it at a moment's notice. And opened the door.

…

True to her word, Takako made her way back into the castle. It was easy to access the castle through the system of tunnels the resistance had made. Tunnels with automated contraptions that sped through the maze that the tunnels were, faster than any animal or cart.

The technology of the other kingdoms—the advancement that the royal family is preventing from benefitting this land—was at the resistance's disposal. There was no reason for the leader to use such underhanded tactics to destroy the kingdom. He had more than enough weaponry and the means to destroy the castle entirely. She knew he was now toying around until his inevitable victory, and it made her sick.

She would free Sasame and herself at least. She smiled to herself as she thought of the poison in the leader's blood. True, he would not die, but he would suffer in a fate worse than that—he would lose his ability to rationally think. She liked to think of her poison as inducing aging of the mind faster than the norm. Her eyes glinted with the thought that he would be senile before long…the man who had brought Sasame to this world, raised him and tortured him…

At the end of the tunnel, she changed into her new outfit, careful to conceal her hair under a wig and her eyes with concave glass orbs that Sasame had given her, claiming it would cause her eye color to change. Disbelieving at first, she had gasped in shock when Sasame had placed the glasses onto his eyes, changing his eyes from the deep purple to brown. When she had asked him why he had not done so for their previous missions, he had answered simply that he did not feel like it.

She sighed. Part of her knew that Sasame wanted to be caught, just as she had wanted to fail her previous mission. It was the easier way out, after all. A capture would mean they would be imprisoned or executed before having to meet with the leader. It was a way to avoid consequences, and accept punishment for their actions at the same time…

Her disguise set, she headed into the castle, moving seamlessly. She had left quite the chaos in her wake. She felt oddly proud yet sickened by that fact. Her voice had not been revealed—which was handy now. No one she spoke to recognized her in any fashion, and she boldly asked the way to the princess' quarters.

This felt almost too easy…

…

Hayate opened the door and saw the princess lying on the bed, pale and feverish. She was surrounded by several healers and physicians, as well as multiple assistants who were all frantically getting medicine, wet towels, ice among other instruments and medicine that Hayate did not recognize. He was hit with a surge of guilt at the princess' unconscious and suffering form, but at the same time, the vague sense of unease did not leave him.

"Sir Hayate," a healer of their own court addressed him, bowing slightly despite his evident fatigue and stress, "It is good to see you in good health."

Hayate could not help but sense the irony in the usual greeting. He was certainly not in good health—the wound he had received needed to be re-bandaged and was still festering—but compared to the princess, he was certainly in better shape.

He nodded in reply, but did not say anything. He approached the princess' side and took her hand. He stroked it, shocked at how ice cold it was. And in what he hoped was a discreet manner, he placed the ruby stone in her palm. He released her palm as he felt warmth return to her skin from the faint pulsing energy that the stone produced. A temporary solution.

But he was being watched. He spun around and drew his sword, bringing one of the healer's assistants to sword point. Her eyes widened in shock as if she had not expected his attack, but Hayate knew better. Her right fist was clenched around what looked like a sophisticated dagger with some liquid inside. She was prepared to attack with it—not use it for treatment.

"What business do you have here?" he hissed, not lowering his sword. The room had gone silent, and all but the very dedicated or brave healers and physicians remained by the princess's side.

"I did not expect my disguise to be seen through so quickly. As expected from the head of the guard," she replied, licking her red lips. Her eyes narrowed and then she moved with a speed that Hayate had not expected. In seconds, she was near Hayate's throat with her contraption—but Hayate had anticipated her as well, and narrowly missed being stuck with the weapon.

"Come to finish the job have you?" Hayate hissed, his fury mounting. There was no mistaking it. The woman's movements betrayed her as the one who had stabbed him while dancing. The female of the assassin duo.

"Where is your partner?" Hayate asked, continuing his deadly dance with the woman.

"That is no concern of yours. I would focus on saving your little princess," she snapped.

Hayate narrowed his eyes and without any warning moved faster than before. He was on the offensive and defensive at the same time, frustrating her efforts to reach the princess on all fronts.

"Your title is well earned," she managed. Unbidden, a glint of pride appeared in Hayate's eyes.

Hayate swung and brought the dull side of his sword onto the back of her neck. Swaying from the blow, she moved back trying to put distance between Hayate and herself. Taking advantage of her momentary weakness, Hayate closed the distance and pointed his sword point at her throat. She froze, but only after her contraption had been poised near Hayate's throat. A stalemate.

"Now seems like a good time to chat, doesn't it?" she asked, the wavering in her eyes betraying her fear and anxiety.

Hayate did not answer. She could tell he was calculating the various ways to break the stalemate in a manner that would be to his advantage.

"What did you place in the princess' hand?" she asked.

"Who are you?" Hayate countered, his eyes fixating on her and the surroundings at the same time.

"My name is Takako," she replied, deciding that since he would die by her hand anyway, revealing her name would not prove to be a threat.

"Who hired you?" Hayate continued, making no sign that her answer had reached him.

"I am my own employer," she declared. She would be damned before she gave him any information that would lead him to Sasame.

"You're not sharp enough nor bitter enough to execute this," Hayate hissed, "Answer me truthfully, or I will be sure that your head rolls before you can move an inch."

She laughed. At first it was soft, a gentle laughter of a warm, spring day with a slight breeze. Then it grew in volume and intensity, warping into a monstrosity of its own.

"I do not fear my own death," Takako declared, though in reality her feelings were quite the opposite. Her eyes narrowed as if to give truth to her claim, but Hayate had been in the guard long enough to recognize the look of fear—the look that admitted defeat before it was handed out. The look of a trapped and cornered animal.

She would lash out soon enough, but until then, Hayate decided he would get the answers he wanted.

"You are part of the rebellion, aren't you?" Hayate asked. Her eyes widened, shocked that he knew the truth—or that he knew of the rebellion at all.

"H-how did you…?" he began, her breathing turning ragged from shock.

"We have our ways," Hayate answered, "We have done nothing since it has not been as much a threat to us…until now. But if you turn in your partner and yourself, I will leave the rebellion alone."

"Empty lies," she hissed. She would let the rebellion die before Sasame came to harm. In fact, it would be convenient for her if the rebellion crumbled. If that man, who dared to call himself the leader, could be killed by another's hands.

"Suit yourself," Hayate hissed—and moved. He seemed to be nowhere, and then everywhere. Masking his presence, he moved around her, searching for an opening. She stood frozen to the spot, fear flooding her system. She had wanted to see Sasame at least once more…she wanted to be free with him…

She stared blankly at the sword thrust into her chest, as if the pain and the eventual fate were another's. She looked up to Hayate and chuckled. Her needle had found its mark and was buried deep in his neck. She watched as he convulsed, dropping his sword and falling to the ground.

She slowly pulled out the sword, biting and drawing blood from her lip as she tried not to cry out. She would not give her opponent that pleasure. Not that he would be able to register her pain. He was caught in his own world, pain and mental torture ripping him apart from the inside.

He forced himself up, meeting her gaze with a crazed look on his face, before touching the princess's hand. A sudden red glow filled the room, bringing a temporary cessation to his pain. To the poison that had been injected into his veins.

As he lost consciousness, Takako began to walk towards him to finish both the job she had been given and to end his life. With each rivulet of blood that spilled from her chest, she was draining away her life force. But it mattered less to her than completing her task.

"What a fool am I," she muttered through gritted teeth. For she had realized she had taken this job not for Sasame's sake, but for her own. To reclaim her own strength and worth that she had lost far before she had met Sasame. As she raised the dagger in her hand towards Hayate's unconscious form, she was stopped by a strong grip on her wrist.

The princess had woken up.


	7. Chapter 7

They traveled through the green glow, Go silently following in Mawata's footsteps. She seemed to know the area very well, deepening his suspicions about her.

"You seem to know yer way 'round," Go commented. Mawata turned to him and studied his expression carefully before responding.

"I was once part of the rebellion, but no longer," she responded.

Go did not answer. His hand was now firmly on his hilt, but he knew it was futile. She had taken him out once, and she could do it again—even if she was a woman, a woman younger than him to boot. And he did not know how many of her comrades were lying in wait to ambush him.

Yet he continued—for Hayate's and Himeno's sake. He was doing this for the two who had accepted him despite his lack of any skill save swordsmanship.

"What gives strength to your loyalty? Is it your ignorance?" she asked.

"That's got nothin' to do with it. Ther' my friends is all," he replied. She turned to him with a soft smile and a look in her eyes that he did not understand.

"It must be nice to have such innocent naivety," she remarked.

Go's response was cut short by the arrow that whizzed past him. He turned to the direction of the arrow's origin and found himself staring into the eyes of the purple-eyed man he had been searching for.

"If ya just gonna backstab me, get out of 'ere," Go said to Mawata.

"I have some unfinished business with this man. Isn't that right, Sasame?" Mawata called out to the man.

"It has been a while, Mawata," he said in his gentle voice. His expression had softened and his eyes almost betrayed a sense of guilt.

"I do not believe I gave you permission to use my name so lightly," she countered in an even voice. While keeping his stance fixed toward Sasame, Go turned his head slightly and was shocked to see unbridled anger on Mawata's face.

"I don't have time to deal with the two of you," Sasame said sharply, releasing another arrow as a warning.

"That prostitute got herself into trouble once more?" Mawata asked, her eyes blazing.

This time the arrow Sasame released was not a warning, but a directed attack. Mawata swatted it away with the effort she would have swatted away a fly.

"Go," Mawata said. Shocked that she used his name for the first time—and surprised that she knew it at all—he hesitated before he responded.

"What?" he asked.

"I believe he is the one you have been seeking," she stated. Go nodded.

"As he is our mutual enemy, I would like a favor of yours," she said.

"Ya'd just pull me down if we fought together," Go scoffed, though he knew it was the opposite. Exasperated, Mawata decided not to argue about the situation any further.

"Which is why we're taking turns. First strike…is mine!" she cried out, racing to the ledge where Sasame stood watching their dialogue in silence. Seeing Mawata again had awoken memories of the night he had met Takako. The blood that had crusted over his frame. The terror on the woman's face as he had killed her. The wavering of his belief in the leader's vision. The look of horror on Mawata's face as she realized the truth.

His sin and betrayal.

She lashed out at him with tendrils of water she had summoned to her hand. She was muttering under her breath, urging the water to bend to her will. Without a single look of surprise, Sasame dodged her long-range water attacks, releasing a volley of arrows in reply.

"It's been a while since we've sparred, hasn't it?" Sasame asked. Mawata narrowed her eyes—and paused—giving Go the opening he wanted. He rushed forward for a close range attack with his sword. Sasame parried with his metal armband and drew out a dagger.

Go fell back, allowing for Mawata's wave to make its way towards Sasame. As Sasame was surrounded on all sides by Mawata's attack, she paused. Her attack was frozen in its tracks, leaving Sasame in a cage of ice.

"Why did you do it?" she asked, her eyes blazing.

"Mawata, I…" Sasame began, before Go pointed the tip of his sword at his throat.

"Why'd ya stop?" Go asked Mawata.

"This does not concern you," Mawata said in a harsher voice than usual.

"You should not have come here, Mawata," Sasame said in a low voice, "I never wanted you to be part of all this."

"I choose to join you of my own free will. You destroyed any free will I once had when you…" Mawata began, when she was silenced by Go's hand over her mouth.

"We'd better take yer love quarrel elsewhere. We've got company," Go said in an urgent whisper. Mawata nodded and formed ice manacles to bind Sasame's hands as Go motioned him away from the green glow.

"Did you hear? Sasame and his woman failed in their last mission. The leader was so angry that he sent Sasame's woman to finish the job," a voice gossiped. Go's and Sasame's eyes went wide in shock from the information.

"The princess still lives…" Sasame breathed while Go muttered, "The second assassin…Himeno's in danger…"

"The solution to this problem is quite simple," Mawata whispered, "You both need to get back to the castle quickly. Shall we declare this a temporary truce?"

"I don't like it, but I'll agree ta it," Go conceded. A slight nod from Sasame indicated the same.

"Then the underground tunnels should serve as the fastest way back, no?" Mawata said to Sasame.

"Underground tunnels?" Go asked, but the two of them ignored him.

"They have been changed since last you were here," Sasame said.

"Then show us the way," Mawata declared and stood up once they were alone once again. Sasame looked up at her, trying to read her expression. Since the incident, she had learned to mask her emotions well. Her ferocious attack had therefore caught Sasame off guard. It pained him to know how much she still hated him for his sin. But he could not forgive himself either.

Go watched their silent conversation, feeling a combination of unease and anger. He decided to swallow his unease and follow the two of them into the darkness of the tunnels—back to the castle to put an end to all of this…


	8. Chapter 8

Takako strained against the tight grip that the princess had on her wrist. She turned to face the princess and was shocked to see her face blazing with anger and her eyes betraying a chilling desire to kill. Was this the same princess that she had believed was innocent? She began to realize why she had been the target of their mission, more so than even Hayate, the head of the royal guard.

"Are you the one who did this to Hayate?" the princess hissed. Takako opened her mouth, but no sound would come out. There was something deadly about the princess. She inspired fear in a way that even the leader did not. As Takako remained frozen, she softened her gaze.

"I remember you. The Duke of xxx's wife, are you not?" she said in the soft, innocent manner she had spoken to her at the party.

"Y-yes," Takako managed.

"I see. Well, then goodbye, Duke of xxx's wife," the princess whispered. Takako blanched. When had she moved from the bedside to beside her? And the dagger that had been in her hand was now in the princess's, aimed at her throat.

"It is said for the purity of the kingdom that the princess should not shed blood," the princess stated.

"Is that why you surround yourself with the royal guard…though you have no need to?" Takako countered, regaining her voice.

"Do you know why this kingdom has remained in the same century for millennia? Why we did not advance like our neighboring countries?" she asked.

"Because the royal family enjoys their power," Takako replied, reciting what she had been taught as a member of the resistance.

"Wrong. This kingdom was once the most advanced of all the kingdoms, which led to its downfall. The people became too greedy and suffered as a result. Peace results from each of us maintaining our roles, after all," she explained, pulling back her arm.

Takako wavered. Then everything that she had been taught, everything she had suffered through—was a lie?

"You assume that our lives are better now…" Takako began, when the princess shook her head.

"I know it is not. But compared to the destruction that we had seen through advancement, this stagnation is the lesser of the two evils," she replied. And then an odd look appeared in her eyes.

"It seems you do not believe me," she said sadly.

"I know nothing but the truth that is in front of me. That is all I will believe," Takako cried, rushing towards the princess with a concealed dagger in her hand. The princess dodged almost effortlessly and pulled the dagger out of Takako's hand.

Tossing the dagger aside, she raised her fist and swung, missing Takako by inches as she weaved out of the way. Unarmed, the two of them attacked and parried. But Takako could feel the princess increasing her speed with each attack, and knew that she could not hold her back for long.

"Do you know why I let you poison me?" the princess asked.

"Because you were too weak to stop the attack," Takako replied.

"No. It was because I pitied you," she replied. Anger flooded into Takako's gaze. How dare she look down upon her? Pity? She did not desire anyone's pity…

_What a poor little girl she is, they would say, throwing her a few coins. She took them gratefully off the road, not caring if they were muddy. She was caked with mud and dirt, her once white dress a dirty brown. Her black hair was tangled and filled with muck. But the look served her well. She was pitied, pitied over and over until she had enough money to buy food. _

_She continued in this manner for years, until her body began to develop against her will. She was no longer a poor little girl, but a fallen woman. Pity turned to disgust. The same people who had thrown her coins now scorned her—for no reason but that her body had transformed. _

_That scum, daring to beg after spreading her legs wide for men, the women scoffed, the true vermin of our kingdom. Their condescending eyes still pitied her, but that pity was hidden away by a layer of disgust. A layer of disgust to conceal the fear that they too could have been in the same situation. And they no longer threw coins to sustain her. _

_And the men began to eye her with interest despite her shoddy looks, their pity concealed by their lust. The fine gentlemen who once threw coins to her passed her without a second look, as if she was no longer a being worth even their concern. _

_The situation had changed. Before, she had traded her pride for food. Now she needed to do more. If it was her body that drew attention, then that was what she would use to survive. She cleaned herself in the river and designed her scraps of clothing to reveal enough skin as a tease. She had seen the women who pleasured men in the alleys, and while it filled her with disgust, she would do it to survive. _

_She would not pity her condition or herself. _

_They gave her coins once their deed was done, leaving her in a messy heap on the ground. Many times, she struggled to even move. The other women would look down at her and laugh, their eyes filled with amusement at her pathetic state. Eyes filled with pity. _

_Sasame was the first to see her with eyes that did not hold pity. He saw her, as she was—a proud woman. He never made her feel as if she needed to prove her worth like the rest of the world had. He alone…_

"Takako!" Sasame cried, drawing his blade and intervening between the princess and Takako. The princess paused in mid-motion, taking in the new visitors to her castle.

"Welcome. Reunited at last," the princess said, a chilling smile on her face.

The assassin pair moved as a unit, racing to attack the princess. The princess avoided them with ease, but could sense her limbs begin to slow. The stone Hayate had given her had slowed the spread of the poison, had even forced some of its effects to wear off for some time, but continuing at the rate she had been would not be possible for long. She drew Hayate's sword from his scabbard, her eyes glancing upon his unconscious form with worry. How long did he have left? She needed to conclude this fight soon, otherwise…

"Impressive your highness," Sasame hissed. His violet eyes were blazing with anger and determination—determination to save his partner, no doubt. She narrowed her eyes in turn, remembering how he had run his blade through her chest as his lips were upon hers. This was her retaliation.

She brought her blade down with a force that Sasame had not been expected, and he groaned under the pressure she placed upon him. With a powerful swing, he forced her back. Takako rushed past him and threw a volley of daggers, which the princess swatted away or dodged—until a single dagger hit its mark in her right shoulder.

Gritting her teeth, she pulled out the dagger, watching the blood flow down her arm. Her breathing had become ragged.

_Hayate_ she thought desperately. As if her plea was heard, Hayate began to stir.

"Himeno…" he said softly, struggling to get to his feet, "Give me my sword."

She handed over his sword, and clutching her wounded shoulder, moved behind Hayate.

"I don't think I will last long, princess. When I give the signal, head to the lower chambers, take my horse and run," he said softly enough so only Himeno heard him.

"I will not leave you here," she replied firmly.

Hayate did not reply and raced to meet Sasame. As their blades crossed, the sound of footsteps echoed in the corridor. Ignoring the sound, Takako moved to block the princess's routes of escape.

"I am not a coward like you to run," the princess hissed, picking up one of the fallen daggers, "Prepare yourself!"

Go and Mawata made their way into the room and paused at the sight before them. Hayate and the white-haired assassin were fighting—with Sasame clearly at an advantage as Hayate swayed and struggled to maintain consciousness, while the princess fought off the female assassin with a dagger despite her freely bleeding shoulder.

Nodding to one another, Mawata and Go broke into the fights. Go attacked the female assassin with a blow that caught her in the back of her neck. Shocked, she fell to the ground, paralyzed from the impact. At the sight of the defeated assassin, the princess's remaining strength disappeared. She fell into Go's arms, the symptoms of the poison returning in full force. Holding her close to him, he turned to see Mawata engage with Sasame, allowing for Hayate to collapse as well.

"Time to end this," Mawata said to Sasame, "Time for me to get my revenge for the death of the woman who loved me as a daughter…"


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I apologize for the typos in previous chapters. I did not mean 'anecdote' but 'antidote.' If any other typos or errors catch your eye, please let me know. Thanks

…

Go hung onto the edge of the contraption for dear life, feeling ready to be sick. This went faster than any cart or horse he had ever rode, and the spins and turns it made did not help in the matter. He was surprised to feel a hand on his back, softly rubbing. He tensed and sat down, clutching his head.

"Here, swallow this. It will help with the motion sickness," Mawata said, handing him a package. He downed it without question, ready to take anything to relieve his queasiness. Within moments, he felt his nausea fading and his headache clearing.

"Thanks," he said, giving Mawata a smile. Her eyes widened at his frank gesture, but she quickly regained her composure.

"I have a favor to ask of you," she said in a low voice to Go alone.

"Shoot," Go said, looking at her only using the corner of his eye, his attention mainly fixed on the assassin who was steering them through the tunnel.

"I want you to let me handle Sasame," she said.

Go had had a feeling that it was what she desired—and the true reason she had followed him to the resistance's stronghold. It had been her excuse to face Sasame once more. Whatever past they had, whatever unfinished business, it was no longer any concern of Go's. He shrugged.

"Until the head of the guard sees him, I want 'im alive. After that…" he didn't need to continue. Mawata nodded in thanks and was about to turn away when Go caught her arm.

"I'm not gonna ask ya what happened. Just that…I'm startin' to trust ya. So don't let me down, eh?" he said.

Her gaze softened and she leaned in, briefly pressing her lips to Go's. A simple gesture that should not have flustered Go at all left him blushing as red as his hair.

"You're very kind. I hope for your sake the princess is safe," she said softly.

"Yeah, I hope so too," Go replied.

When they reached the end of the tunnel, Sasame brought the contraption to a halt. Go took a few deep breaths and rose to his feet. Before he got out, Sasame had already rushed ahead.

"Why that…!" Go began, when Mawata pressed another package in his hand.

"What's this?" he asked.

"The antidote for the princess. I will explain later why I have something like this. For now, we must hurry," Mawata said quickly. Go nodded and ran along with her, clutching the package in confusion.

By the time they had located the princess, Go feared it might have been too late. He was both shocked and relieved to see the princess conscious—conscious and wielding a weapon. Without another thought, he nodded to Mawata as his way of yielding to her request and they jumped into the fight.

As his first duty was to protect the princess, Go brought down his sword upon the female assassin, knocking her out cold—for the moment. The princess smiled in relief when she saw him, and began to sink to the ground. Go caught her in his arms and placed the antidote to her lips. She coughed as the powder entered her mouth, but swallowed it slowly as Go provided her with water to wash it down. Once the princess had swallowed the entire parcel, she closed her eyes, falling into sleep. Go could only hope that the antidote would do its job.

He looked up from the princess to the duel between Sasame and Mawata. Sasame looked conflicted, his eyes shifting between his partner unconscious on the floor to Mawata's unrelenting eyes.

"Time for you to answer for your sins, Sasame!" Mawata cried, thrusting forward with her sword. Sasame spun to his left to avoid the direct attack, watching Takako through the corner of his eye. Tension filled his movements, slowing his attacks. Mawata parried him with ease, waiting for his full strength to show. Only his defeat at his strongest would satisfy her.

Go sighed, realizing why Mawata had been holding back.

"Yer partner's ok, ya know. So don't hold back," Go cried out. Sasame turned and met his gaze, confirming his sincerity and nodded.

A transformation came across his face when he realized that he no longer needed to hold back. All the frustration bottled up inside of him was released and he sped forward with the rage of a demon.


	10. Chapter 10

Thank you for all of you who have been following this story. This is my first ever multi-chapter fic that I've finished (an accomplishment for me since I like to write long stories that go on forever) Sorry for the rushed ending! Hope you enjoy and please R+R!

...

_The sound of laughter filled his ears—the sound of another boy and a girl. He felt his face stretch into a smile and he got to his feet and ran. _

_ "Wait for me!" he would cry out as the girl and boy ran off together. He felt a woman pat his head and hold him back. _

_ "Not yet, my sweet," she would murmur, trying to stuff in the last of the medicine. He struggled but succumbed to swallowing the disgusting mix she would feed him once a day. _

_ "There. Now you can go," she said softly. He looked up to face her before running off, and saw the face of a beautiful young woman…_

_ …_the face of the witch who had been his foster mother…

Hayate groaned as he gained consciousness. He could feel a hand upon his face, cupping his cheek and was surprised to find that it was the princess' delicate hand.

"Princess?" he murmured.

"Shhh," she said softly, and bent down to kiss him. His eyes widened, but then relaxed when he tasted the powder on her lips and tongue. An antidote, he realized.

"Make sure to swallow it slowly," she murmured when she broke the kiss.

Hayate nodded, still not trusting himself to speak. As he felt the strength returning in his limbs, he reached out for her and brought her close to him.

"Princess, I…" he began, when she silenced him with another kiss.

"Thank you, my dear knight, for protecting me all this time. When this is all over, I have something to tell you. So please wait here for me," she murmured, low enough that only Hayate could hear.

Hayate smiled in understanding, and released her hand. She stood up and grabbed Hayate's sword by the hilt and turned to where Takako was stirring. For Hayate's sake, she would end this once and for all…

…

Go watched in amazement as the two combatants fought in a blur of action. He could barely discern their movements now. It was as if their previous fight was on an entirely different level—one that he could have caught up with. Now, however…

"There's nothing to be gained by all this," Sasame cried out as he parried Mawata's series of blows.

"I will gain her revenge," Mawata replied.

"She chose to conduct the spell herself. I am not to blame," Sasame retorted.

"You always had loved father more than mother. Your actions betray you," she parried, her words cutting deeper than her sword tip.

Sasame winced in pain.

"I did what I felt was right—for the kingdom," he said softly, his eyes full of hurt. The guilt rushed into his features, and Mawata knew that he had not forgotten his sin. She could now see that he had spent the past ten years trying to atone.

_Sasame had always been the quiet one. He was shy and seemed to always cling to Mother. Father had focused instead on Mawata, training her skills in both weaponry and poisons because she had the greater audacity and skill. But Mawata could tell her gentle foster brother had a deep jealousy that only manifested itself in the cruelest way—he harmed his own blood mother for the love of his blood father. _

_ Their father had adopted many of the orphan or unwanted children of the kingdom—seemingly out of good will at first. It was many years before Mawata knew that he was training his army for the rebellion, shaping the minds and bodies of the young, neglecting children. His one obstacle—the woman he had once loved. _

_ She wanted to raise the children herself, to give them happiness for the future. When she came to realize what her lover intended to do with the children, she began to resist him. Slowly trying to make him see the light. _

_ And he decided to get rid of her. _

_ The children loved her; she was beautiful and kind, but stern and strict at times too. She was their savior and haven. She loved her children—both her own, Sasame, and the ones she adopted, like Mawata and Hayate—and did everything she could for them. _

_ Hayate was sickly, and Mother tried many herbal remedies to help him get better. But nothing seemed to help. Afraid he might die, she turned to the forbidden magics—and found the cure for him. Father became wary of her magical powers, even as Mawata learned them in secret from her. _

_ And he used her own magic to destroy her. _

Mawata's eyes blazed as she thrust forward, swatting Sasame's sword aside in a quick, deft motion.

As her sword point was at his throat, she cried out, "Do not try to escape from your guilt. You obeyed father and hurt the one who loved the most in this world!"

"I had to," Sasame conceded, relaxing his body for her final sword thrust, "it was the only way to keep her alive."

Mawata's arm shook as she lowered it, her vision blinded by tears.

"You fool," she finally managed.

…

Takako was losing control of the duel fast. The princess was fighting with a alacrity and dexterity that she had never seen before. She was a demon whose rage had been fueled into a skillful sword dance.

Each slash she received from the princess' sword was accompanied by an explanation for why she was being slowly, excruciatingly tortured so.

"This is for the wound you gave Hayate," she would cry or, "This is for the poison you placed in his blood…"

Never did she utter a word about her own brush with death with the poison they had given her. Not a word about her own suffering. It was always about Hayate…

As she felt the blade slip between her breasts, Takako felt no surprise—only relief.

_I love you, Sasame…_

…

As he heard her gasp, Sasame turned away from Mawata and raced over to Takako, his eyes unbelieving, unable to grasp the situation. The princess stood over Takako, her sword streaming with blood—the blood gushing from the deep wound in his love's chest.

"Takako! Takako!" he cried out in agony, rushing to her side. The princess' rage ebbed away and she averted her eyes for the lovers whose future she had destroyed.

She felt an arm grab her gently and press her face to a warm chest. It was then she realized she had been trembling, and in the safety of those arms, she let go of the tears she had held back as she heard Sasame's desperate pleas.

"Takako…Takako…" Sasame moaned, holding her head in his lab. She managed a soft smile for him despite her pain and mouthed over and over again the same phrase until her last breath: I love you, Sasame…

…

After being allowed to bury Takako, Sasame willingly entered his life long captivity in the castle. Go was in charge of his imprisonment, but he was the least of his worries. Sasame had no desire to leave. He had been trapped by his guilt all these years that physical imprisonment was no more than a formality.

Hayate and Mawata returned to visit their foster mother—only to find that her unnaturally bestowed old age had claimed her life. As promised, Hayate helped bury her in the field with her favorite flowers.

"Forgive me for the hate I had shown you," Hayate murmured, as he placed flowers on her grave, "I should have treasured you more for all that you had done for me. Thank you, Mother."

"Forgive me for causing your son so much pain," Mawata murmured, "Both you and he deserved more happiness. I wish that your next life be filled with happiness."

As the sun began to set in the sky, Hayate turned to Mawata.

"Shall we return back home?" he asked her. She nodded, knowing that a certain idiotic, naïve member of the guard would be there, waiting for her with a worried look.

As they mounted their horses and rode back to the castle, Hayate felt at peace. He would soon be returning to place he belonged—at the side of his princess, her protector and her protected to the end of his days.


End file.
